Device for hanging floral displays



Nov. 27, 1951 M. L. SPITZ DEVICE FOR HANGING FLORAL DISPLAYS Filed Jan. 30, 1947 Iii INVENTOR. BY WA a Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR HANGING FLORAL'DISPLAYS Mortime Lecepita Brooklyn, N, Y.

Application January 30, 1947, SerialjNO; 725,321

.--.8 Glaims. (or-295 .19)

The object of my invention is to provide a device for hanging floral displays, decoration banners, or the like whichfacilitates the'hanging thereof in places beyond reachsuch as on the wall molding-r any other predetermined location.

Another object is to provide a device of this type which affords positive control over a releasable hanger when same is being raisedinto the desired position.

Another object is to provide in a device of this type, means for operating the hanger retaining means from a point remote from said last named means.

Another-object isto provide a device of this type including a removable handle adapted to be fitted into thebottom of a body portion or a handle formed integral with said body portion.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described in which a hanger retaining means is held in a locking position by either a tension or an expansion means one end of which is based on the body portion while the other extremity is in contact with or aflixed to the lower extremity of the hanger retaining means.

Another object is --to provide :a device of the character described comprising a body portion with an intersecting-recess'andhole adapted to receive a releasable hanger and'a hanger retaining means respectively.

A-further object is to providea device of this type which is strong, light, durable, efficient, easy to operate and relatively inexpensive to manufactureand which may be adapted for use with a variety oi'releasable hangers of any well known or approved types.

-Practical embodiments of my invention are represented in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one form of my invention showing the releasable hanger locked in position;

Fig.2 represents a rear elevation of -th e';embod;iment shown "in Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 represents a side elevationoi the embodirnent shown in Figs. "1 and 2 showing the hanger retaining :means disengaged from the hanger, the latter being out of its supporting recess 01'' groove.

vFig. 4 represents a modified form of my invention in which the junction of thespri-ngs of the form shown. in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, is per-formed by a single expansion spring and a-ro'dis used inst ad of t e lanyard;

Fig. 5 represents a-releasable hanger holding flowers and supported by a molding.

' right angles.

Fig. '6 represents an enlarged detail section-.70! the upper end of the body portion.

Fig. 7 represents a detail section taken ink-the plane of the line VII-'VII of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Broadly, my invention comprises a device-for hanging floral displays or other decorations which includes a body portion with a handle depending therefrom, said body portion being provided with a-recess and a hole intersecting at approximately The recess is adapted to receive a releasable hanger and the hole is arranged to accommodate the nose of a spring held hanger retaining means for locking and releasing said hanger. Said means may be actuated manually when desired by a lanyard or other suitable means such as a rod, connected to and depending from the tail portion of the hanger retaining means, said lanyard being guided by a ring or other suitable element on the'handle.

More specifically referring to the accompanying drawings, body portion l is a screw-threaded internally at "the bottom 2 to receive the top of a handle 3 suitably threaded.

If so desired, the handle may be formed integral with the body portion I.

The back of body 1 is provided with ears l, '5, formed integral therewith and projecting therefrom. These ears are bored to receive a screw or rivet which carries a hanger retaining means 6 swingably mounted thereon between ears 4, 5.

Retaining means 6 has an upper forwardly projecting nose portion 8 and a lower rear-ward ly projecting tail section 9.

Body portion l is "provided with a recess I0 and a hole ll intersecting at approximately right angles, since recess If! extends from the top of body I downwardly and hole H runs from back to front of said body portion, intersection occurring as described.

Recess I0 is shaped and located to receive a releasable hanger i2 and to afford support throughout a considerable portion of its length. Bottom curved portion l3 thereof is accommo-- dated by the grooved bottom of recess 10.

Hanger 1 2 is additionally prevented from fall i-ng out or being otherwise inadvertently displaced from its'situation in recess l 0 by the nose portion-8 of retaining means 6. Said nose nor-.- tion fits into-hole II and across the -lower part of recess l0 and above the curved portion 13 of releasable hanger 1-2, thereby locking thelatter Nose portion 8 is held in its closed or lockin position across the bottom of recess II] by the action of tension springs I I, I5, said springs being made fast at their upper ends to the back of body portion I and at their lower extremities to the outer end of projecting tail section 9 of retaining means 6. The springs I4, I5 are fastened to body I by any well known or approved means such as screws I6, IT. 'The opposite ends of these springs are secured to tail piece 9 by a nut and bolt I8, I9. It will be seen that the tensioning action of the springs serves to maintain nose 8 in the position above described (see Fig. l).

The outer end of tail section 9 is drilled to receive a ring 20 to which is attached a lanyard, cord, wire, or the like designated 2I-the lower I4, I5, and expansion springs 25 may be dispensed with and in lieu thereof a coil spring may be substituted on the pivot I which spring will be adapted to hold the hanger controlling means in the locking position. Also all springs may be omitted and the retaining means actuated by rod 29.

It will also be understood that when the body portion I is lowered the flowers or other decoration will probably assume the position on the hanger I2 denoted in Fig. 5, i. e., they will slide down toward the curved portion I3.

I It will beseen from the above that I have quickly and efliciently without requiring a ladder or other support and with a minimum of disend of said lanyard being provided with a ring This lanyard may be lead through one or more guides 23 located on the handle 3 or the guides may be dispensed with entirely, if so desired.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig.4, the tension springs I4, I5 are removed and tail piece 9 is provided with a depending stud carrying element 24 against which one end of an expansion spring 25 abuts. The other end of said spring 25 fits over a stud '26 fixed in a suitable location on body I. Spring 25 thus performs the functions attributed above to the tension springs I4, I5 and holds means 6 in its closed or looking position. 1

A rod 29 attached to tail piece 9 performs the function of lanyard 2| and may also be used to hold nose piece 8 in its locking position in the event that it is desired to use no springs at all.

The operation of my device is as follows: the flowers or decorations desired to be hung are placed on the releasable hanger I2 and the hanger inserted in the recess III of body I. This latter step is preceded by depressing tail section 9 of hanger retaining means 8, thereby causing said means to swing on its carrying screw or rivet I against the tension of springs I4, I5 or the expansion of spring 25 in the modified form. Nose portion 8 will be swung clear of the bottom of recess I9 (as shown in Fig. 3) thereby allowing hanger I2 to be firmly seated in the bottom of recess I0 shaped to accommodate the curved portion I3. When the hanger has been seated as above described, pressure on tail piece 9 is released and springs I i, I5 or 25, as the case may be, act to swing means 5 including nose portion 8,- back into locking position where nose 8 overlaps curved portion I3. It will be understood that tail section 9 may be depressed by hand or by means of tension applied to lanyard 2|, or by the manipulation of rod 29. Once the hanger I2 has been locked in position, the body portion I, carrying hanger I2 and its decoration is raised by handle 3 and the curved hook end 21 of hanger I2 is hooked over the molding 28 many other desired support for said hanger. When hook 21 has been placed where desired, tail section 9 is depressed by applying tension to lanyard 2| or rod 29 depending therefrom, thereby disengaging nose portion 8 from curved portion I3 of hanger I2 as means 6 pivots on screw I. When disengagedas described, hanger I2 is left supported in the desired location by withdrawing body I by means of handle 3.

The operation described will be repeated as many times as necessary to properly place the required number of decorations.

It will be understood that both tension springs arrangement of the display. Further, handling of the'fiowers is cut to a minimum which enhances their appearance and causes them to last longer.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiments herein shown and described, but what -I claim is:

l. A device for hanging floral displays comprising a body portion, an intersecting slot and hole in said body portion, said slot being adapted to receive a releasable hanger, ears projecting from said body portion, hanger retaining means mounted between said ears and cooperating with said recess and hole, means for retaining said lastnamedmeans in a locking position, means for actuating said hanger retaining means and a handle aflixed to said body portion said hanger retaining means comprising a swingable hook retained in looking position by a plurality of tension springs cooperating therewith.

2. A device for hanging floral displays comprising a body portion, an intersecting slot and hole therein, said slot being adapted to receive a releasable hanger, ears on said body portion, hanger retaining means swingably mounted between said ears and cooperating with said slot and hole, means for retaining said last named means in such cooperation, a stud on said body portion, a depending stud carrying element on said hook retaining means, and an expansion spring mounted on and between said studs for maintaining said retaining means in a position of cooperation with said slot and hole, and a handle cooperating with said body portion.

3. In a device for hanging floral displays, a body portion, a vertical slot in the top thereof, a hole intersecting the slot at right angles to its vertical axis, said slot being shaped to slidably receive a releasable hanger, spring controlled hanger locking means mounted on said body and adapted to swing through the hole and over the bottom of the slot, depending means for actuating said locking means and a handle fitted to said body portion.

4. In a device for hanging floral displays, a body portion, a vertical slot in the top thereof shaped to slidably fit a removable hanger throughout the extent of the slot, a hole inter: secting the slot at right angles to its vertical axis, hanger locking means located to enter the hole and extend over the bottom of the slot and hole, means for actuating said hanger locking means, said actuating means being attached .to said locking means and located in substantial parallelism with the horizontal axis of the hole I in said body portion and a handle fitted to said body portion.

5. In a device for hanging floral displays, a body portion, a vertical slot in the top thereof shaped to fit. a removable hangerthroughout the extent, of the slot, a hole intersecting the slot at right angles to its verticalaxis, {ears on said body portion, a swingable hook mounted between said ea'rs,f-spring means for holding said hook across the bottom of said slot; depending means attached to said hook for actuating same and a handle attached to said body portion, said depending means being guided along the said handle to a predetermined point thereon.

6. In a device for hanging floral displays, an elongated body portion, said body portion having a slot extending inwardly from an end thereof in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the body portion andbeing shaped to fit a removable hanger, said body portion being also provided with a hole extending inwardly from a side thereof substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and intersecting the lower part of f said slot, a spring biased swingable hook pivoted on the side of said body portion and adapted to have one extremity enter said slot through said hole for holding the hanger in the slot and the other end adapted for engagement by means for actu-' ating the hook against its spring bias. an extension handle connected with the end of said body portion opposite to said slot, and hook actuating means lying along a side of said handle in substantial parallelism with its longitudinal ax1s.

'7. A device as defined in claim 6, in which the extremities of the hook lie substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and the intermediate part of the hook lies substantially parallel therewith when the hook is in hanger locking position.

1 8. A device as defined in claim 7, in which the bottom of the slot is curved to receive a correspondingly curved bottom of aY-hanger.

MORTIMER LEE SPITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,426 Barnes et al June 28, 188'! 973,862 Funk Oct. 25, 1910 1,190,383 Court July 11, 1916 

